Great Apes app wins MobileWebAward for best environmental mobile application

The apeAPP, a tool created by the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) to engage the general public in the battle to conserve our closest cousins, won the 2014 MobileWebAward for best environmental mobile application. The MobileWebAwards recognize outstanding achievements in mobile development each year. The apeAPP provides direct access to field projects that protect chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos in Africa and Asia, giving users updates from the field and information on how they can help.

Through GRASP, an alliance of 98 national governments, research institutions, conservation organizations, U.N. agencies and private companies strive to lift the threat of imminent extinction, conserve wild populations of every great ape in their natural habitats and to ensure that where apes and people interact, their interactions are both positive and sustainable.

The application delivers a strong, unified message regarding great apes into the public’s hands, and offers exciting, colorful graphics and beautiful photo galleries that give users have the opportunity to learn more about these species – their habitats, food preferences, subspecies, and fun facts. Earlier this year, it was also a finalist for the prestigious Appy Award in the "Reference" category.

The apeAPP is free and available for download on the App Store and Google Play. It was created in collaboration with developer i-Site.com, and launched at the Mobile East Africa conference in February. GRASP and i-Site.com are currently working to update the application and add more partners in 2015, to improve the user experience and connect the largest possible audience with great apes in Africa and Asia.

The GRASP Secretariat, led by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and UNESCO, facilitates communication and promotes synergies and cooperation between partners who are committed to the long-term survival of great apes and their habitat in Africa and Asia. Together, they develop and promote best practices, policies, and initiatives. By bringing the partners’ projects to the public, the application helps to raise awareness and engage the general public in great ape conservation efforts.